Africa used to be the ultimate exotic adventure, a once-in-a-lifetime trip to experience the unfamiliar and eye-opening. But as distances shrink (it takes as long to get to Dakar from New York as it does to get to Paris), art and food scenes emerge, and security concerns in Europe make tourists consider new destinations, Africa has become more accessible to travelers of all types. The focus of our April issue is just how diverse and immersive the continent can be, from Tangier all the way to Cape Town.

Conservation, safety, complicated politics, tourism infrastructure, international media portrayals of Africa: We cover it all. Brace yourself, you'll be booking a trip, with the help of a travel specialist if you so choose, before you know it. All that's left is just to figure out where on the continent—that's more than 50 countries—you want to go.